2018 BMW 640i xDrive Gran Turismo Test Drive

Jerry Reynolds | January 2, 2018

Over my years of reviewing cars, I’ve always been a big fan of the BMW sedans, especially the larger ones. As I walked up to my tester for the first time, I kept looking at it with puzzlement. Something looked funny about the Bluestone Metallic 2018 BMW 640i xDrive Gran Turismo sedan. It was the roofline, I was not used to BMWs having such a dramatic swoop. I hit the key fob to open the trunk and it hit me: this is a great big hatchback.

2018 BMW 640i xDrive Gran Turismo

The 640i GT was the replacement for the slow-selling 5-Series GT. As I opened the driver’s door the interior sort of jumped out at me. The leather seats, door panels, and lower dash were almost a peanut brittle color that BMW calls Cognac Dakota, and I have to say it works great with the exterior color.

Everything inside is well laid out and modern. The center stack is attractive, the gearshift stick feels good to the touch, and a 10.3” touchscreen is vivid and bright and operates everything inside the car. The back seat was amazingly large, and the amount of headroom in the back was much better than I would have imagined with the roofline angle of the 640i.

Performance and Handling

You expect great performance from an Ultimate Driving Machine, and the 640i GT certainly lives up to the name. Although not super-fast, the handling was superb. The big hatchback looks and feels muscular, and doesn’t break a sweat heading into tight curves at higher speeds when you are in Sport Mode. If you want that luxury car feel, simply switch to Comfort or Comfort Plus mode. I was a little surprised there was no Sport Plus mode.

Under the hood and behind the classic BMW split grill, you’ll find a 3.0-liter turbocharged six-cylinder hooked to an 8-speed automatic with shift paddles. The six-banger is putting out 335-horses and will carry you from a dead stop to 60-miles per hour in a respectable 5.1 seconds. If you bury your foot in the accelerator it will top out at 155-miles per hour. My tester is all-wheel drive, hence the xDrive portion of the name.

Options Include M Sport Package

My review Bimmer has roughly $13,000 in options and equipment groups. It has the Driving Assistance Plus package, which includes cross-traffic alert to make driving worry-free with Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go that keeps you moving on the highways. The Active Lane Keeping Assistant and Traffic Jam Assistant allows for up to 50 seconds of hands-off driving.

It has the Dynamic Handling Package, which includes Integral Active Steering, Adaptive Drive with 2-axle air suspension, Active Roll Stabilization and Dynamic Damper Control, one of the reasons this car handles so well.

It has the M Sport Package which gives you 19” wheels, wood trim and includes a power-deployable rear spoiler. It also has the Executive Package that includes the head-up display and Gesture Control to keep you informed and in charge while you drive, Parking Assistant Plus and soft-close automatic doors.

Remote Parking

Standalone options include heated steering wheel, front and rear heated seats, Apple Car Play, and a Harmon Kardon sound system. It also has the $750 remote parking option, which you’ll only use when you want to impress your friends. From the key, you can park the car with nobody inside it. With that said, I can’t think of many uses for this unless your garage is small and you can’t get out of the car easily. It is truly a full-sized remote-controlled car, and I’ll show you how it works in a separate 2:00 video below from last year when I had the 530. It is sure to amaze people even if you won’t use this feature much.

Speaking of the key fob, it is large and it operates like a remote control. It is electronic and syncs with the car. From the key, I can check the status of the car, make sure it is locked, see how much fuel is left in the tank, and schedule when to start it in advance of driving off to make sure the cabin temperature is just right. The fob charges in the center console when driving.

There is much to love about the 640i GT. It is super quiet inside, it sits up about 2 and one-half inches higher than the regular 6-Series, and visibility is exceptional all the way around. You can fold the back seats down to get yourself a whopping 65-cubic feet of trunk space.

What You'll Pay

Fuel economy is really good for a car this large coming in at 20 in town and 23 on the highway. Total price on this 2018 640i xDrive Gran Turismo as equipped is just over $84,000.

With the holidays falling the way they did this year, I had this car for almost 10 days and have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed every minute behind the wheel.

2018 BMW 640i xDrive Gran Turismo

What I liked most: The driving dynamics and handling.

What I would change: I wish it were a little faster off the line.

MSRP: Base price $69,700 as equipped $84,010.

Fuel Economy: 20 City/28 Highway, 23 combined.

Fuel Tank: 18 gallons with filler on the passenger side.

Dimensions: 200.9” long/74.9” wide/60.6” high.

Weight: 4409 Pounds.

Trailer Towing: N/A

Miles When Tested: 400 miles.

Official Color: Bluestone Metallic exterior, Cognac Dakota interior.

Spare tire: None. This BMW has run-flat tires.

Final Assembly Point: Dingolfing, Germany.

2018 640i GT in a few words: The Ultimate Driving Machine is more than just an ad slogan with the 640i GT hatchback.

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